tvxq on page 1!

just goes to show you how showbiz sells! my first page 1 story in a looong time. TVXQ no less! Hahahaa!   Idol Concert Marred by Excessive Screening
	By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Korean boy band TVXQ performs during “The Second Asia Tour ‘O’” concert at the Olympic Gymnastics Stadium in Olympic Park in southern Seoul, Friday./ Korea Times Confusion marred popular Korean boy band TVXQ's sold-out concert ``The Second Asia Tour 'O''' at Olympic Gymnastics Stadium in Seoul on Friday, as thousands of fans waited for hours after the concert to retrieve their cell phones and digital cameras from the organizers. Concert organizers required the 8,000 fans who attended Friday's concert to leave their cell phones and digital cameras in three designated booths before entering the stadium. This was done to ensure that fans would not be able to take photographs or videos of TVXQ during the concert. Images of the concert were licensed to several mobile phone content providers. After the concert ended, fans, mostly middle school and high school girls, scrambled to retrieve their belongings. Since there was no system for the retrieval at three booths, there was a lot of confusion. Some fans even had to wait until 3 a.m. to get their cell phones and cameras back. In a statement posted on its Web site, S.M. Entertainment apologized for the inconvenience to TVXQ's fans. ``Our company sincerely apologizes to the fans who attended the concert. We will request our company's concert organizers to make sure this will not be a problem in the future,” S.M. Entertainment said. In recent years, concert organizers and entertainment companies have tried to impose strict regulations to prevent fans from taking videos and photographs during concerts and events. Entertainment companies are increasingly becoming concerned over copyright violations resulting from these fan videos and photos, which are usually circulated on the Web. Digital cameras, cell phones and MP3 players, even those without recording capability, were not allowed to be brought inside the concert hall during Japanese pop group Arashi's concert in Seoul in November. But there are still some pop stars that allow their fans to take photographs. Irish pop superstars Westlife even asked their fans to take photos during the concert in Seoul last year. Despite the problems over fan's cameras and phones, TVXQ kicked off its second Asian tour with sold-out concerts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Loud cheers erupted when the five-member group appeared on stage performing ``Phantom” from their latest album ``O _ Chong.Ban.Hap.” TVXQ delighted their fans with their singing and dancing throughout the two-hour concert. TVXQ's Asian tour will bring them to Beijing and Shanghai, China; Taipei, Taiwan; Hong Kong; Bangkok, Thailand; and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this year. The concert dates have not yet been confirmed. TVXQ, known as Tohoshinki in Japan, will tour Japan from May 10 to June 16. The group, which will release their second Japanese album, ``Five in the Black,” next month, will hold 14 concerts in the country. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr 02-25-2007 17:44

another Kpop interview

Epik High Soars to New Heights By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Epik High is a popular Korean hip-hop group, composed of, from left, rappers Mithra and Tablo and disc jockey Tukutz. Epik High released their fourth album “Remapping the Human Soul” last month. / Korea Times Photo by Kim Ji-gon Hip-hop culture, especially music, is enjoying unprecedented popularity in Korea these days. At the center of all is Epik High, a three-member hip-hop group whose new album ``Remapping the Human Soul” topped local music sales charts. Epik High has successfully combined witty, socially conscious lyrics with infectious beats to come up with hit songs that helped popularize hip-hop music. Composed of rappers Tablo, Mithra and disc jockey Tukutz, the group believes hip-hop still has a long way to go in Korea. ``Many still don’t consider hip-hop as a musical genre. It took us a long time to change that. It took us until this album to show that hip-hop music is music,” Tablo, whose real name is Lee Sun-wong, told The Korea Times in an interview on Wednesday. Epik High released their debut album ``Map of the Human Soul” in 2004, followed by ``High Society” and ``Swan Song.” The song ``Fly” was one of the most popular songs in 2005. Tablo said their fourth album ``Remapping the Human Soul” reflects the musical and personal growth of the members. ``When we made ‘Map of the Human Soul,’ basically we wanted to make the first song and the last song signify birth and death and everything else that happens in between… Back then there were things that we didn’t know in music and life. Through the years, we became different people, so we wanted to re-draw the map of the human soul to better reflect all the changes and what we feel,” Tablo said. The first single, ``Fan,” about a fan’s obsessive love for a celebrity, has already received a lot of radio airplay. ``The way somebody falls in love with a star is the same as somebody falling in love with anybody, a stranger or music… We wanted to talk about that kind of desperation and how it’s actually a stupid kind of love that’s determined to fail and lead to heartbreak,” Tablo said. When asked whether they’re fans of any celebrity or anything, Tukutz said he’s a fan of Michael Jackson, while Mithra said he’s a fanatic of music. Epik High took a year and a half to finish making ``Remapping the Human Soul.” Tablo said they all “went kind of crazy” making music non-stop, writing over 200 songs and recording 47 songs. But only 27 tracks made it in the two-disc album. The album has courted controversy because some lyrics deal with sexual crimes, war, education and religion. Tablo can’t help but get passionate when talking about censorship, especially since he said the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is trying to prevent some of the songs from being played on the radio. ``Most songs aren’t censored because of language. There are no cuss words or bad words. But if we talk about a social issue, we get censored. I don’t understand how discussing a social issue or saying that something wrong should be made right is bad for the youth… If talking about serious issues and reality and how to make it better is wrong; If we're living in that kind of society, things are not going to get any better,” Tablo said. Despite the censorship, Epik High is not about to change their style. ``We're not going to say we're not doing this because it might mean less album sales. If we think that, then we're no longer doing things that we're supposed to do. We’re no longer being honest with ourselves. As long as it’s our heads, in our hearts, we’re going to approach that no matter what,” he said. Epik High is a firm believer in using music as an instrument for social change. Tablo, who has been involved in social work for a long time, said music should be used to make people aware of the issues affecting society. With hip-hop music all the rage around the world, many are wondering when Epik High will try their luck in the overseas market. ``Flow,” their collaboration with Japanese singer Emi Hinouchi, will soon be released as a single in Japan. But Tablo said Epik High is in no hurry to go international. ``When the opportunity arises, we would love to. But I don’t think we’re in that big of a rush. Right now, we're enjoying making music here. There's still a lot that needs to be done here,” Tablo said. ``It’s just God's blessing that we became famous. It’s a blessing that we've become wanted in Korea. It’s not something we aspired to. Right now, we're content and we'll always be content with whatever we've got,” Tablo said. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr 02-19-2007 18:15

restaurant review again

Quiet Lunch at Park’s
	By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Finding a quiet place to have a leisurely meal is getting harder and harder these days. Restaurants are usually crowded, noisy, and you always feel rushed when eating your meal. If you don’t mind driving out of Seoul, you can go to Park, a newly opened restaurant in Paltang, Kyonggi Province. The all-white lake house offers much-needed peace and quiet and, more importantly, good food. When you enter the restaurant, you are greeted with a warm yet sophisticated interior. The walls are decorated with abstract art work, and brown couches with bright pink pillows create a relaxing atmosphere. The menu is simple, featuring mainly pasta and steak dishes. But the quality makes up for the lack of variety. Lunch sets are reasonably priced, ranging from 18,000 won for pasta to 45,000 won for the filet mignon. The set includes soup, a roll, the main dish and a dessert. Our meal started off with the soup of the day, in this case, a cream of broccoli soup. The soup is thick with lots of chunky broccoli bits and is served with warm rolls. The Caesar salad is also a good choice to start the meal. For the main course, the olive oil pesto pasta is simple but flavorful. Fettuccini noodles are bathed in a sauce of pesto, olive oil, nuts and chili flakes. The rib-eye steak is juicy and tasty. It seems bigger than steaks you can find elsewhere. It is served with steamed vegetables, corn and whole garlic cloves. You can flavor the steak with either Dijon mustard or steak sauce. The meal would not be complete without dessert. The dessert of the day was a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with candied pecans and swirls of maple and espresso syrup. David Cho, the owner of Park, said he wanted to open a restaurant that served good quality Western-style food, since most of the restaurants in the area only serve Korean food. Park’s menu also includes pork skewers, hamburger steak, meatballs with peaches, shrimp fried rice and fish and chips. There is also a shrimp cream pasta, tomato sauce pasta and spaghetti and meatballs. Cho said the restaurant also serves brunch dishes, such as a banana brioche (13,000 won) and a salsa omelet (15,000 won). After the meal, you can take your cup of coffee, sit outdoors and enjoy the picturesque view of the Han River. Or you can look at the artwork displayed in the Ellen Kim Gallery on the second floor. Although the garden is still a work in progress, Cho said he expects it to be filled with blooming plants and flowers in the spring. He said this would be a perfect place to hold an outdoor wedding during spring or summer. For reservations, call (031) 576-2217. Park is open every day from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr 02-01-2007 20:42

skull

Skull Taps US for Stardom

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Skull, a Korean reggae artist, is looking to make big in the U.S. market. Reggae singer Skull may not be as popular as Rain or Se7en in South Korea, but like the two K-pop stars, he is attempting to cross over into the American music industry this year. Backed by American music producer Morgan Carey, Skull is slowly generating a buzz in the hip-hop world. He has only been in the U.S. for a couple of months, performing before tough hip-hop audiences and releasing his song ``Boom Di Boom Di’’ as an animated ring tone. ``It's been great to be embraced as a reggae artist first. I don't believe I would have been as well received if I were just a Korean singing pop music. I am a reggae artist, I live and breathe reggae music and I think the American audiences really recognize, and appreciate that,’’ he said, in an e-mail interview with The Korea Times. Unlike K-pop stars who are counting on their Asian American fan base to boost their image in the United States, Carey is taking a completely different approach by promoting Skull in the hip-hop music world. Carey, brother of superstar Mariah Carey, is confident that Skull has what it takes to become the first Asian artist to crossover into the American market. ``When you talk about timeless artists, you have to have a recognizable sound. They have a distinct voice... I knew that Skull’s voice was one that you would hear once, and the next time you heard him, you'd be like, `That's Skull.’ He isn’t trying to be anyone. He has a great sound, great look. There’s no doubt for me that Skull was ‘it,’” Carey told The Korea Times in a phone interview. Carey’s involvement with Skull started when he met YG Entertainment chief executive Yang Hyun-suk in Seoul last year. Yang told Carey about his plans to break into the U.S. market and asked him to check out CDs and videos to see which YG artists had the potential to make it in the U.S. After taking a look at the YG artists, Carey was convinced Skull’s unique voice and unconventional image would click with American audiences. Skull, whose real name is Cho Sung-jin, got into reggae after listening to Bob Marley as a teenager in Seoul. ``He (Marley) was much more than a hero to me. He really changed my life. His music, philosophy, thoughts and life were all so meaningful to me. He inspired me to explore the roots of reggae culture and philosophy,” he said. Cho joined a reggae group in high school, but it didn’t last. He took his music to the underground scene, where his passionate reggae performances eventually caught the eye of YG Entertainment. In 2003, he made his debut as part of Stony Skunk and since then has released three albums. Now, Skull is working with iconic DJs and musicians such as DJ Bobcat and Mighty Mystic. He was also the featured artist of the week at the popular social networking Web site My Space (http://myspace.com/skullriddim). Skull admitted he still has to deal with the initial skepticism from American audiences, who have a hard time believing a Korean can do reggae music. ``For the most part, I am usually received very cynically in the beginning, but my music always wins them over in the end,” he said. Carey relayed a particular incident in which Skull had to perform before a tough hip-hop audience at a club in Los Angeles. At first, the crowd was slow to embrace his music, but Skull ended up impressing the crowd, which fell silent during his a cappella performance of ``No Woman No Cry.” ``Afterwards, he told the audience, ‘I'm so happy to be here, and I really want to be your friend.’ I couldn't believe this hard-core hip-hop audience ate it up. There is so much hate in the music business, but he can win over any crowd because he's that authentic,” Carey said. Skull may just get his big break this year. He has been invited to perform at a concert organized by World Peace One in August. The concert will be broadcast around the world, with an expected audience of 2.7 billion. ``We are very much looking forward to that show. I do believe that Skull has the special combination of qualities which can cross the cultural divide and bridge East and West,” Carey said. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

chinatown

Chinatown Revisited

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Traditional Chinese shoes and other exotic souvenirs are sold in the shops of Chinatown. Wherever there are Chinese immigrants anywhere in the world, you can bet that there will be a Chinatown. Chinatown is known as the center of commerce and culture for Chinese immigrants, as well as a place to remind them of their homeland. In the past, it has been pointed out that there is no Chinatown in South Korea. The lack of a Chinatown has always been blamed on the past governments’ discriminatory policies against Chinese immigrants. Since the normalization of diplomatic ties between South Korea and China 15 years ago, a ``real’’ Chinatown has started to emerge, designated as a special tourism zone and actively promoted as a tourist destination. Red Chinese lanterns adorn the streets, while some buildings have been remodeled into traditional Chinese buildings such as the Puksong-dong office. Weekends bring in crowds of tourists walking around Chinatown and the nearby Chayu (Freedom) Park. Chinatown is easily accessible by subway (Inchon Station on the subway line 1), a one-hour ride from Seoul Station. From the subway exit, you can immediately spot the stately Paeru gate serving as the entrance to Chinatown. There are three Paeru gates that lead to the main streets of Chinatown. While they are common in Chinatowns around the world, these Paeru gates are the only ones given as a present from a Chinese city. The gates were a gift from Weihai. Chajangmyon's Birthplace Chinatown in Inchon is known as the birthplace of the beloved ``chajangmyon,’’ or the Koreanized version of Chinese black bean noodles. Considered a comfort food, chajangmyon brings back happy childhood memories for most Koreans. The noodle dish has even been the subject of a hit song, ``To My Mother,” by boy band g.o.d. Moreover, Koreans consider April 14 as Black Day, when lonely hearts and single people share their misery over bowls of chajangmyon. Chajangmyon actually originated from the Chinese dish called zhajiangmian, which literally translates to fried sauce noodles. Served with a side dish of onion and radishes, a bowl of chajangmyon costs an average of 3,500 won. The Kongwhachun building, built in 1905, is described as the first Chinese restaurant serving chajangmyon in Korea. A long-time resident in Chinatown, who only gave his last name Lee, said the former Chinese restaurant closed down in 1984, after financial difficulties. He said the Chinese brothers, who owned the place, squabbled over the ownership. Last year, the building was registered as a cultural property that will be preserved. However, Kongwhachun still remains as a rundown building with broken windows, peeling paint and a fading signboard. Kongwhachun may be long closed, but chajangmyon is still on the menu of dozens of Chinese restaurants lined up along the main road. Traditional Chinese restaurants here are known for their delicious dishes at a fairly reasonable prices. Most places offer a set menu to allow customers to sample a variety of Chinese dishes, such as sweet and sour pork, fried noodles, shark’s fin soup and dumplings. The price of the set menu can go as low as 15,000 won to as much as 60,000 won for one person. Chajangmyon remains a popular choice. A Korean waitress at a Chinese restaurant suggested that chajangmyon tastes better if the noodles are mixed in one direction. She noted the chajangmyon should also be eaten as soon as it is served, since the noodles swell after a couple of minutes and change texture. Chajangmyon At the Ja Geon Sung restaurant, the 15,000 won set menu features three kinds of cold appetizers, diced chicken with garlic sauce, sweet and sour pork, sauteed shredded pork and green pepper, chajangmyon and plain rolls. The 60,000 won set menu features assorted cold appetizers, shark’s fin and abalone soup, braised scallops, braised sea cucumbers, lobster dish, sliced beef in oyster sauce, sauteed mushrooms, noodles and rolls. A Chinese man operates a stall selling hot, deep-fried twisted dough stick for 1,000 won. This is traditional Chinese breakfast snack called ``You Tian.’’ He apologized for being only able to communicate in broken Korean, saying he has only been in Korea for a couple of years. He said it is a traditional snack quite popular among tourists, especially during weekends. On that particular day, a handful of foreigners were snapping pictures of him frying the twisted dough. Other stores sell moon cakes or round pastries with a thick sweet filling, which is best eaten with a cup of hot jasmine tea. Chinese Culture With China emerging as a superpower, many Koreans are realizing the importance of learning about Chinese culture and language. The Korea-China Cultural Center is one of the few centers set up by the Chinese government to promote its culture and boost ties with Korea. The center, which opened in 2005, features exhibitions of Chinese artifacts, hosts cultural performances, language and calligraphy lessons. Even while walking around Chinatown, you can get a quick cultural lesson. A colorful 100-meter long mural is painted on the walls of the Inchon Chinese Chungsan School. The mural recreates scenes from the famous Chinese classic, “Tale of Three Kingdoms,” which deals with themes of honor, betrayal, love and hatred. The main characters Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei are depicted in lively scenes. For visitors unfamiliar with the Chinese novel, captions are available but are only written in Korean. Located near the mural is a statue of Chinese philosopher Confucius, a gift from Qingdao City, China. The statue is in the middle of the historic boundary separating the old Chinese and Japanese settlements in the area. Take a careful look at the stone lanterns on either side of the stairway leading to Chayu Park. You’ll realize that one side features Chinese style lanterns, while the other side features Japanese-style lanterns. There is also a good number of Chinese souvenir shops in the area. At the Pomun China Gift Department Store, the selection of souvenirs is not anything to rave about. Prices of souvenirs are certainly cheap, with coin purses and moon cakes selling for 1,000 won each. To celebrate the year of the pig, there are many pig figurines, coin banks and toys. Traditional Chinese clothes such as the body-hugging qi pao, or chongsam, can be purchased for around 18,000 won to 30,000 won. Bags made out of shiny Chinese print fabrics costs as low as 3,000 won. Not everything is cheap though, as huge antique vases from China are priced at 800,000 won. Hallyu Attractions In the last few years, Chinatown has been the location for a handful of television dramas and films. An old-fashioned two-story building located near the Confucius statue was the location for two dramas, ``Steal My Heart” and ``Six Siblings.” The film ``Failan,” a story about a Chinese woman (played by Chinese actress Cecilia Cheung) who falls in love with a gangster (by Korean actor Choi Min-sik), was also shot partly in Chinatown. Another film, ``Take Care of My Cat,” starring Bae Du-na, also featured some scenes shot in the area. Perhaps to attract more tourists interested in hallyu or the Korean wave, Chinatown is now being featured prominently in the new MBC drama ``Kung (Palace) S.” ``Kung S” stars K-pop star Se7en, as a modern-day prince who works at a Chinese restaurant and delivers bowls of chajangmyon in the city. The series featured a scene depicting a chajangmyon battle to see who can deliver a bowl of chajangmyon in the fastest time. If “Kung S” becomes a hit around Asia, the drama may give a big boost to Chinatown, similar to what Winter Sonata did for Nami Island, where the widely popular television drama ``Winter Sonata’’ was shot and, therefore, draws numerous tourists, mainly the Japanese. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

The Brian

Brian Joo Flies Solo

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter K-pop singer Brian Joo puts out solo album.  /Korea Times Photo by Yim Jae-Beom Korean-American singer Brian Joo is known as one-half of the popular R&B duo Fly to the Sky. But with the release of his first solo album, ``The Brian,” last month, Joo shows what he can do on his own. ``I just want to get my name out there. I'm always known as Fly to the Sky's Brian, but I want them to know me simply as Brian,” Joo told The Korea Times in an interview backstage at SBS Kongge Hall in Mok-dong, Seoul, on Sunday. Wearing pinstriped brown pants, a crisp white shirt and a vest, Joo was relaxing backstage after performing on the TV music show ``SBS Popular Song.’’ He received the show’s Mutizen Song award for his single ``Kajima.’’ Joo, a native of Absecon, N.J., in the United States, said he wanted to try a different pop sound on his solo album to distinguish himself from Fly to the Sky's signature R&B sound. He originally planned to do all the songs in English but wasn’t able to because of lack of time. The album contains one song in English, ``All I Know.’’ Joo’s solo venture doesn’t mean a divorce from Fly to the Sky and fellow member Hwan Hee. The duo plans to release a seventh album in May. Joo added that he is not following any trend of boy group members going solo. Once Joo starts talking, you get the feeling that he's not your typical K-pop star. Sure, the 26-year-old singer has the look, the voice and the moves, but he's also down-to-earth and humble. Joo, a Christian, said that religion plays a big part in how he deals with the stress and the pressure of entertainment. ``If I didn't have my religion, I would break down. This is not an easy career for young people,” he said. He was a 16-year-old high school student in New Jersey when a friend signed him up for an audition. The audition landed him a deal with top Korean agency S.M. Entertainment. In 1999 he made his debut as part of Fly to the Sky in Korea. ``When I was a kid growing up, my goal was to be the Asian Michael Jackson. That never happened, but this is just one step for me,” Joo said. `` When I was growing up, I never thought I’d go to another country and become a singer. I’m happy with what I'm doing right now. Hopefully in the future, whether it's the U.S. or Asian market, I'm going to try and do it.’’ For the many kids who dream of becoming entertainers, Joo has some words of advice: ``I have some friends who are top singers who call me up at 2 o’clock or 4 o’clock in the morning, weeping and saying how hard it is. It's a lot of pressure. If you can't handle it, then don't do it,’’ he said. ``You have to discipline yourself and realize this field is not going to be nice to you. You’ve got to be strong because people will try to break you …’’ Joo also wants to pursue acting in the future. ``Acting is one thing I want to do. But it’s not happening right now. Hopefully, one day they'll have a part in a movie or drama where they’ll say: ‘Oh, Brian is that character’... Or maybe even in Hollywood,” he said. K-pop stars like Rain and Se7en prepare to break into the U.S. market this year, but Joo is waiting for the right opportunity. Right now he’s trying to become closer to his fans in the U.S. and other countries by opening an account on the popular social networking site My Space. He tries to check his account (http://www.myspace.com/thebrian110) at least once a week to respond to the messages left by his fans. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

kahoe

Kahoe_Where the Old Meets New

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter A traditional Korean house or hanok has been converted into a boutique selling funky accessories and clothes in Kahoe-dong. Stylish neighborhoods are cropping up all over the metropolis. Kahoe-dong, located in Chongno-gu, is a traditional Korean residential neighborhood slowly undergoing a transformation. Nestled between Kyongbok and Changdok palaces, the Kahoe-dong neighborhood is often overlooked in favor of the much swankier Samchong-dong and the tourist magnet Insa-dong. The main attraction of Kahoe is Pukchon, most famous for its cluster of hanoks, traditional Korean houses. While it remains a quiet residential area, some of the hanoks are being turned into restaurants, cafes, teahouses, boutiques, museums and even offices. Compared with Insa-dong, filled with hundreds of tourists at any given day, Kahoe is less crowded and relatively quiet. It also attracts a different crowd _ a mix of office workers from nearby office buildings, groups of middle-aged ladies who have long leisurely lunches, retirees who sit around having tea, students from nearby schools and tourists in search of the hanok village. Trendy Food Places Good food is probably the first thing that attracts people to a neighborhood. Kahoe is not lacking in trendy restaurants and quaint cafes serving tasty food in a tasteful setting. Restaurant Wood & Brick Wood & Brick occupies a fairly large area, with two of their ventures, Gourmet, a bakery and deli, and Ga-Hoe-Heon, an Italian restaurant. Step inside Gourmet. and you’ll be greeted with the scent of freshly baked bread and a whiff of brewed coffee. The shop offers a tempting array of bread, baguettes, multi-grain bread, chiabatta, as well as cheesecake, chiffon cake, tiramisu. It is almost enough to make one forget about their New Year’s resolution to go on a diet. Gourmet, a wine and tapas bar at night, is well stocked with wine and cheese. Ga-Hoe-Heon has a sophisticated atmosphere. You can sip wine and savor sumptuous Italian dishes. Sandwich places are also becoming popular in Kahoe. Sally’s Salon is popular for its hearty sandwiches, which are served with wine or coffee. Its salami sandwich with wine set is a steal for 7,000 won. Coffee shop Egg Bene is another sandwich shop that serves excellent Italian panini. The shop usually has a daily special, with a panini, a cup of coffee or tea, and a tiny cup of fresh yogurt. However, Bene is currently undergoing renovation. It will reopen next month. Other interesting places to have coffee are the rustic-looking Egg and the modern Dexter House. For a more upscale atmosphere, To Go Coffee is the place to go. Located in a red brick house with floor-length windows, To Go Coffee is a perfect place to relax and just watch the world go by. Health-conscious people may want to check out Organic Coffee. The cafe’s main selling point is that it serves organic coffee, grown without using pesticides or harmful chemicals. Recent studies have shown organic coffee has more nutritional and medicinal benefits than regular coffee. Another popular Italian restaurant is Flora, located in front of Art Sonje Center. Flora provides a perfect ambience for a date. It boasts an award-winning chef Cho Woo-hyun, who won a gold medal with the Korean Cuisine Association in the gourmet team challenge in Thailand last year. Wagamama is a Japanese sushi bar with reasonably priced dishes. Wagamama owner Cho Mun-ho said the restaurant has only been open for a couple of months but has already attracted a steady lunch crowd. The restaurant also has a small section with clothes and jewelry for sale. The unique jewelry and accessories were designed by Cho’s wife Park Myoung-hee. If that’s not enough, Wagamama also has resident tarot card master who will tell you what you want to know about your future. A tarot card reading for one question costs 5,000 won, and a tarot card reading for couples is 10,000 won. Satisfy your sweet tooth at J’s Cake (www.jscake.com), which offers yummy treats such as raspberry cheesecake, Austrian choco cake and yogurt potato cake. Coffee shop To Go Coffee J’s Cakes also offers made-to-order cakes, with special designs for birthdays, weddings and other occasions. These unique cakes are such a delight to look at, with delicate sugar flowers and perfect frosting. It is almost impossible to imagine eating such a pretty cake. Stylish Shops For a fashionista, exploring Kahoe’s streets can yield chic finds and maybe even some bargains. Boutiques specializing in one-of-a-kind, handmade shoes, bags and jewelry are sprouting up in the neighborhood. Tibet Museum Hosevan is a shop specializing in handmade leather goods, which are classic yet stylish. A simple but well-made black leather bag can set you back 480,000 won, while a pair of leather pumps costs around 350,000 won. The boutique Shoes and Shoes also displays quite fashionable shoes and handbags. A row of small boutiques selling quirky jewelry, bags, clothes and other accessories is also found behind the Jeongdok Library. Hat shop Luielle Luielle (www.luielle.co.kr) is a well-known brand of beautiful, colorful and funky hats. Shirly Chun is the modiste who learned hat design and hat making in Paris. Luielle hats have been seen on the heads of top celebrities like Rain and Lee Hyo-ri. Cometa is a small shop specializing in art jewelry. Kim Hyung-mo designs most of the jewelry sold at the shop, although some pieces are imported from Venice, Italy. Kim, a friendly, soft-spoken man, greets customers at the store, where he also painstakingly creates earrings and other pieces of jewelry. He worked in a chemical lab for 15 years before deciding to shift to his passion for jewelry design. Jewelry shop Cometa Cometa has been open for only a year and a half, but Kim said he has had many Japanese and European tourists come in and buy his pieces. Most of the colorful earrings are sold for 10,000 won, but some pieces with imported Murano glass are sold for 40,000 won. It may seem a bit pricey, but Kim’s designs are one-of-a-kind and the Murano glass is imported from Venice, Italy. Another interesting shop is Piktor, which sells a mix of handmade accessories and fashion-forward clothing. Not many flower shops in Seoul can boast of a chic shop like Soho and Noho. This is no ordinary flower shop, since it also provides party and event decoration services. Cultural Tour There are many art galleries in the area such as Arario Seoul, PKM Gallery and Art Sonje Center. There is even a Tibet Museum (www.tibetmuseum.co.kr), which may initially conjure questions as to why would there be a museum devoted to Tibetan culture in a traditional Korean neighborhood. Admission costs 5,000 won. But a visit to Kahoe would not be complete without checking out the hanoks. Some residential hanoks are open to the public, while others have been converted into museums to show different aspects of Korean traditional culture. The Dong-lim Museum, which features Korean traditional knots, is located in a hanok. The museum sheds light on the different meanings behind knots. For instance, amber knots symbolize wealth, while pepper knots symbolize fertility. The museum also offers knot-making program for those interested in learning how to make Korean knots. It takes about an hour to complete a project such as a cell phone cord. Gahoe Museum (www.gahoemuseum.org) is a hanok remodeled to become a small museum. Yoon Yul-soo, the museum director, said the hanok is estimated to be nearly 90 years old. The museum boasts of a collection of amulets, folk paintings and books, although only a few are actually on display. Admission fee is 3,000 won for adults and 2,000 won for students. Tarot card master at Japanese sushi bar Wagamama A tour guide is ready to greet visitors, but does not speak English. The guide does offer some key English words to describe some interesting pieces in the museum. At the end of the short tour, visitors can try out amulet stamping, folk painting coloring and folk fan drawing. Visitors are served a cup of green tea from the Dongwoen Temple in Naju, South Cholla Province, and are encouraged to stay and savor the peaceful atmosphere A middle-aged Japanese man from Fukushima enjoyed the peaceful ambience at the Gahoe Museum. He said he enjoyed walking around the hanok neighborhood. ``It is very quiet. It makes you forget you are in a busy city,” he said. True enough, Kahoe is only a few blocks away from the busy, chaotic streets of downtown Seoul, but there is a sense of calm in the hanok neighborhood. Amid the rapid pace of development and modernization of the neighborhood, it will be a challenge for Kahoe to preserve its unique character. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr